Zinc oxide has an ultraviolet-shielding function, a gas transmission-suppressing function and the like, and is also highly transparent. Therefore, zinc oxide is used for applications requiring transparency such as an ultraviolet-shielding film, ultraviolet-shielding glass, a cosmetic material and a gas barrier film.
As one of methods for obtaining transparency, the primary particle diameter of zinc oxide particles is decreased. As a method for manufacturing zinc oxide fine particles, a variety of methods such as a thermal decomposition method and a gas phase method are being studied (for example, Patent Documents 1 to 7).